Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Tutorial - Framed Covered Buttons

I love fabric covered buttons.In fact...I buy fabric that I think will look great on a covered button.I know...it's just another reason to feed into my fabric obsession!Speaking of obsessions...another one I have is tools. Now don't get me wrong, I don't buy a tool just for the heck of it...a purchase is justified only if it is something that will really make a project easier and therefore...more fun.Yes...fun is the objective when I am creating. If it's not fun I really don't want to do it...I'm fickle that way!

So anywhoo...instead of just keeping my covered buttons in a jar and only using them now and then....I thought it would be fun to display some in a frame.

So a couple of weeks ago I did just that...and this is where the explanation of my love of tools comes into play.

Below is the toy...(read tool!)...that I used for this project. It's actually for scrapbooking but as I have said before, I find alot of things for my quilting in the scrapbooking supplies.

I bought it last year when it first came out and I have used it quite a bit for scrapbooking and making cards and such.

The button forms that I normally use are of course buttons not brads and have a shank in the back...so they can be a little difficult when trying to layer them on top of things...although...

I have removed the shank with needle nose pliers before for other projects but for this one, I thought that the brads on the back would work perfectly.

This instuctional DVD comes with the tool and shows you how to use it ...BTW, in case you are wondering, I bought my i-top at Roberts Crafts.

The tool makes 3 different size brads and I used the smallest ones (16mm) for this project.

They also come as magnet backs instead of brads as shown in the above picture.

I have made some really cute magnets using my i-top.

You of course can use scrapbooking paper in it also which is what it is intended for...but I like using fabric in it too for lots of other projects that need fabric circles!

This is the circle template so that you know which size circle to cut .

I forgot to mention that another requirement of mine before I buy a tool is that it has to be cute...and as I've said before...it doesn't hurt if it comes with a fabulous designer bag!

This is the i-top bag and it stores the tool, brads and circle templates along with the dvd and anything else you might need inside very nicely.

Okay...onto how I did it.

I used the small circle on the template to trace onto my fabric...

...and cut it out. This is what the top looks like and the bottom "brad" part.

I placed the top on the small setting of my i-top...

...and placed the circle over it and pressed.

This step is just to wrap it around the top smoothly and to get it centered.

I pushed down the gathers with my finger...

...and then placed the brad into the other side of my i-top like so.

I took this picture for you just before I squeezed the handles together to make the brad.

This is what it looks like when I release the handles.

I just pull the pink rubber part back a bit and pop out my brad.

I used a 5 x 7 shadow box frame (to make room for the bulk of the buttons) that I bought at the craft store.I usually buy frames with unfinished wood because I like to paint my frames to match my own vintagey decor.

I also used an off white colored mat for the frame...I thought it would set the buttons off nicely.

I taped a piece of graph paper behind the mat so that I could use it as a guide to center my buttons and see how many I would need to make.

15 buttons were just right so I marked a dot right in the center where every button would go using my graph paper to make sure that they were evenly spaced.

I used the cardboard that came in the frame for the background of the buttons.

Origanally I had planned on using fabric but I liked the color and the unfinished cardboard look. You could also use linen or chipboard which would give the same look if your frame comes with ugly cardboard.

I think that the little buttons all lined up look a little bit like a vintage button card!

I placed my mat with taped on graph paper directly on top of my cardboard (because they are the same size, I knew it would be centered)....and marked my holes with a piercing tool.

Then I punched a larger hole over them to allow for the size of the brad shanks.

I used another favorite tool of mine....a holepunching drill by Martha Stewart.

It's really a handy little tool and of course it comes in a case!...lolIt drill/punches 3 sizes of holes and they are stored in the end of the handle that unscrews.

I really like Martha Stewart scrapbooking tools. They are made really well and she has alot of very useful ones that I havn't seen anywhere else. I buy them at Michaels.

Okay....then I arranged my buttons in a pleasing manner and placed them in the holes. Because they are brads, they are not permanent so I can change them out for the seasons if I want to....and you never know...I just might.

I then painted my frame a creamy white instead of a color because I wanted all of my fabric buttons to pop against the white.

I like to buy the little 2 oz. sample bottles of paint to use in my crafting because you can pretty much get any shade of any color out there and ...yes...the little bottles are so fun.

I put it all together when the frame was dry...do you like it?

Of course I had to put a cute little honeybee on one of my buttons.....

....and gingham & polka dots.

I placed it on an easel in my Family Room.....

If you have any questions or would like to leave me a comment about this fun little project....just click below and let me know....it makes me happy to hear from you.

30 comments:

Do I like it???? YES!!!!! That is adorable. OK, now you need to make a cute table topper with the same fabrics to put underneath the easel. If you send me all your scraps I'll make the table topper and send it back to you - really I will. LOL

Lori, This post has it all! Great cute and colorful buttons, new snazzy gadgets, pretty pictures, very well done tutorial and fun tips (like the paint)! I learner something new and now I think I could actually do this project! I looked for the "follow" button on your blog but could not find it. I'll be back though!Thanks,Yvonne

You know how adicted I am to covered buttons, and this is the firt time I have seen this technique. so cool!! You always come up with the cutest things, and are always so organized. Love how you framed the buttons to really showcase their cuteness!

Ohmigosh. COuld this be the cutest thing ever? I think it just might be. I love this. WHat great instructions. You DO have the best tools! This would be a fun family reunion project, too. You come up with the best ideas.

I was feeling a bit sluggish and realized what I needed was a "fix"...so I dropped in for a visit and now I feel much better...I'm going back to my project - thanks for the boost! Love the buttons - I've added them to my "to do" list...they are #52...I just need to live long enough and I'll get to them! xo, Nan

Now that is a cool tool! I've made fabric covered buttons before & cut off the shank part so I could glue a push pin on for using on my bulletin board but your little brad maker would be so much simpler :) Cute project!

I want to go out and buy all those tools. Especially the hole puncher. But I guess I can figure out enough buttons I want to cover that I might go get one of those as well. You should get a commission. thanks for the really great tutorial. I loved all the pictures.~a

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You can find me most often in my studio drawing for my next fabric line or creating designs for my pattern company established in 1994 called "Bee in my Bonnet" I'm a small town girl who loves everything vintage.

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The name and pattern line"BEE IN MY BONNET" was established in 1994 by Lori Holt - All rights reserved. Please do not use my original photos unless you add a link directly back to my blog and give me full credit. Please email me with any other questions.Thank you!beeinmybonnet1@yahoo.com